1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to traffic management systems to manage automobile traffic in roadways and specifically to traffic management systems that use cellular phones and corresponding networks to track roadway traffic.
2. Prior Art US Patent
Traffic management systems are in existence today in many forms. Traffic management systems can be broadly classified into traffic monitoring systems, and traffic control systems.
Some systems allow monitoring of roadways using sensors or cameras and feed data about roadway traffic to a central server which then broadcasts the acquired data to motorists using broadcast methods such as radio signals. There are other systems that monitor roadway traffic using signals from cellular phones to generate a mapping of roadway traffic at any point in time. Such traffic monitoring systems generate a lot of data and timely dispatch of such data to motorists is essential for such systems to be valuable to motorists.
On the other hand traffic control systems provide a way to control traffic onto specific roadways to prevent traffic jams and overloads. Such systems constitute stop lights at intersections or freeway entrances to control the number of cars that can enter a roadway at any point in time.
There are also systems that combine the traffic monitoring system with traffic control systems in order to make traffic control more efficient.
All such systems that are in use today have not solved the traffic overloads we encounter almost every day. This is because controlling roadway entry is not sufficient to reduce traffic problems as motorists are unaware of traffic conditions in real time. Radio broadcasts happen once in ten minutes, and if a motorist has already entered into a roadway entry, there is no way to turn back.
For further discussion the term freeway will be used to illustrate a roadway with no signals or minimal signals.
Feeding back acquired traffic data into traffic control systems may make the entry signals more efficient, but it will not stop motorists from queuing up behind traffic entry points which will then lead to long wait times before a freeway can be entered. Also, there is no way to control freeway exit points since such exit points are usually connected to internal roadway signals and if more motorists want to take a particular exit than what can be supported by the internal roadway light signal, then that will result in a backup of traffic on the freeway which then leads to longer lines at entry points.
Hence we can see that traffic problems arise because there are more motorists that want to use a freeway at particular points in time than what can be supported by that freeway at a desired speed.
Also, linking up freeway entry lights and lights near exit with internal roadway lights and finding out the exact number of cars that can be allowed to enter a freeway is non scalable solution as every traffic light on all streets will have to be linked up and that will result in enormous capital expenditure.
The fundamental problem with existing solutions is that there is no predictability in travel routes of motorists at particular instances of time. Hence there is no way to effectively control traffic lights at freeway entries, or lights close to freeway exits. No amount of feedback into traffic control system will result in reduced traffic as such systems are easily overwhelmed with the large number of motorists.
Hence there is a need for a traffic management solution that does not suffer from above mentioned issues but and provides a solution that is not capital intensive, effective for all roadways, and offers efficient transport to motorists with predictable travel times.
Such a solution is not known to exist.
Currently there are no known prior art methods that offer a solution to above mentioned problems.
Following paragraphs in current section describe relevant prior arts in this field.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,577,946 proposes a system to acquire real time traffic data using cellular phones and feeding back acquired data into traffic control system. As mentioned above, this system has several limitations. First the amount of data generated by every cellular user who is a motorist will result in a very large database, which then results in large amounts of decision vectors to be exchanged with every entry and exit signal near a freeway. This is a non scalable and capital intensive solution given that all signals have to be networked and maintained forever. Even if such an investment has been made, this system will be overwhelmed when too many motorists wish to be at the freeway around the same time.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,973,319 proposes a similar system that addresses the data acquisition of traffic conditions using cellular phones and associated cellular networks. But this does not address the basic problem of how to prevent or control overload conditions of a freeway.
Prior art US Doc 20030014181 is a similar system that addresses the data acquisition of traffic conditions using cellular phones and associated cellular networks. But this does not address the basic problem of how to prevent or control overload conditions of a freeway.
As can be seen from above, all known prior arts suffer from some limitations in providing a traffic management solution that is not capital intensive, is scalable and effective in managing overload conditions in freeways or other roadways.